Railway bogie



e 1967 D. B. WOOD 3,359,923.

I RAILWAY BOGIE Filed April 6, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTOR.

David B. Wood ATTORNEY D. B. WOOD Dec. 26, 1967 RAILWAY BOGIE 7 Filed A ril 6, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Da vid .5. Wood ATTORNEY D. B. WOOD Dec. 26, 1967 RAILWAY BOGIE Filed April 6, 1965 '5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I lNVEN TOR. ,DCIV/d 5. Wood ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,359,923 RAILWAY BOGIE David B. Wood, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 446,024 4 Claims. (Cl. 105-189) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A railroad car truck frame with radially acting shock absorbing means recessed in the frame to dissipate operating shocks from any direction and to reduce frame height above the car axles.

that irregularities in the track and grade can be accommodated and curves negotiated without derailment. The tendency of an axle to become canted with respect to the rail is instantly counteracted as the wheel flange bears on the side of the rail and an oscillating motion of the truck,

known as hunting, results as one wheel flange then another strikes against the rail. It has been a problem to absorb, in the truck, the alternating shocks from hunting, as well as shocks applied to the truck from every directionby high speed operation over track irregularities and curves, so that they will be substantially dissipated before being transmitted to the car. In certain instances with special cars, now increasing in number, there is a real problem even at low speed, particularly when, as in many special cars, the distance between truck centers nearly corresponds to standard rail lengths. The harmonic vertical impulses from the rail joints at certain speeds can and actually do' combine with lateral or horizontal motion to lift the wheels off the track and unless proper provisions are made to adequately control these forces, then cars are actually thrown olf the track All these factors contribute to wheel and rail wear .and wheel shelling or failure. Larger wheels would reduce wear and shelling but, with the trucks of the prior art, wheel size could be increased only by raising the floor of the car. This, of course, raises the center of gravity of the car and, even if this were permissible, varying coupler heights in cars would present. a problem .during the period of transition to the larger wheels- It is an object of this invention to meet these and other problems relating to railroad car undercarriages. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a railroad car truck of the desired flexibility with the effects, on the car body, of hunting restrained. It is another object to provide smoother operation of railroad rolling stock, and particularly of special cars, by absorption of operating shocks from any direction through the proper insulation of wheels, axles and truck frame from the car. It is another object to provide a compact, light weight truck frame permitting the use of larger wheels without raising car and coupler height.

Other and further advantages will appear in the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the frame member of a railroad car truck of the inboard type;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view on a larger scale showing the frame member assembled with the other parts of the truck; and

. FIG. 4 is a partial crosssectional view showing a modified form of springing means as applied to a standard outboard railroad car truck frame, and taken on a line through the outboard axle journal housing.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the frame member 10 preferably is made as a single forging having a circular recess 11, a second circular recess 12 concentric with the recess 11 and providing a circular vertical shoulder within and extending downwardly from the base of the recess 11, and means for pivotal connection of the member to the car body, such as a central opening 13 to receive a center pin on the car body, it being understood that other pivotal connections, such as a boss on one member and a complementary recess in the other, may be used. The member 10 also has lateral extensions 14 and longitudinal extensions 15. Bosses or bolsters 16 extend upwardly from each of the lateral extensions, and each longitudinal extension has a downward extension 17 having a recess 18, these recesses 18 opening downwardly to accommodate load springs, axles, bearings and associated gear. A number of bosses 19 extend inwardly from the vertical shoulder of recess 12, and for convenience, these bosses 19 may be on a ring 20 received in said recess.

In the form shown in FIG. 3, a retainer plate 21, having a central opening 22 to receive the center pin or other connection means and an annular channel 23 is receivable in the recess 11. The outer wall of the channel 23 constitutes a circular vertical shoulder spaced inwardly from the ring 20 and having bosses 24. The bosses 19 are arranged in pairs on diameters extending longitudinally, laterally and diagonally, and the bosses 24 correspond in number, form and disposition to provide a number (preferably twelve) of radially disposed pairs of bosses 19-24 which are received in the ends of radially disposed coil springs 25, to retain the springs in place. The car center plate 26, having an opening 27 and preferably of the same diameter as the plate 21, is placed on the plate 21, the plates 21 and 26 being smaller in diameter than the recess 11 to provide adequate clearance for action of the springs 25. If desired, the plate 26 may be provided with a channel or projection fitting within the channel 23.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, each downwardly opening recess '18 in the longitudinal extensions 15 is provided with a pair of bosses 28, rib 29 and a shoulder 30 in the top of the recess, and receives an upper bearing member 31 having complementary bosses 32, rib 33 and shoulder 34. As shown in FIG. 3, the bosses 28 and 32 are received in the ends of spring groups 35, which may be standard groups such as that designated E in the Manual of the Association of American Railroads. Movement of the bearing member 31 is limited by the shoulders 30 and 34, and the assembly is completed by lower bearing member 36, the axle 37 of a railroad car wheel and axle assembly being received between the bearing members 31 and 36. The bearing members 31 and 36 may be of a type accommodating roller bearings 38,, but the design is not limited to the use of such bearings. The axle housing can be modified to accommodate any known type of hearing.

In the form shown in FIG. 4, the forging 10a is extended laterally to comprise standard outboard axle boxes 40. Brasses 41 of conventional type bear upon the axles and spring retainers 42 bear upon the brasses and support spring groups 43.

In making the main frame member as a single forging, brackets for any suitable brake system may be provided, and it will be noted that the simplicity and compactness of the design allows space to provide disc brakes either inside or outside the wheels.

The design also provides space for torsion bars or other such shock control features which would help control the sway of the car by resisting movement at the first impulse.

Prior art provides flexibility through wide tolerances in the making and assembly of various truck parts. This design provides a unitized or closely controlled connection or contact with the car body and provides the required horizontal and vertical motion of the wheels and axles through the bearings and their supports, thereby allowing accurate and positive predetermined motion control of the axles and wheels.

This design readily provides means for a dust free and oil retaining housing surrounding the bearing element and its supports. This would also provide for the inclusion of pressure or other positive means of lubrication.

With this design, it is my belief that a metal such as aluminum would provide additional advantages by its low modulus of elasticity, light weight, and forging characteristics.

It will be seen that I have provided a construction in which, while the truck can move, within limits, independ ently of the car, shocks due to starting and stopping, track irregularities and curvature and hunting are absorbed in the truck regardless of the direction of application. Excessive rocking of the car on the truck is prevented by the bosses or bolsters 16 which bear against suitable complementary surfaces on the car, Moreover, with the relatively low height of the frame above the axles, larger wheels are used to maintain the required car floor and coupler height, with consequent reduction in wheel wear.

I do not wish to be limited to the construction of railroad car truck that I have chosen for illustration and description herein, it being understood that modifications of the truck are contemplated within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A railroad car truck component for assembly with and support on wheel assemblies comprising a main frame member having means for pivotal connection with a railroad car body and a recess presenting a circular shoul-, der facing inwardly and a second circular shoulder facing inwardly within and below said first named shoulder, said shoulders being concentric with said connection means, a retainer plate having peripheral clearance within said first named shoulder and presenting a shoulder facing outwardly within and concentric with said second named inwardly facing shoulder, longitudinally, laterally and diagonally arranged pairs of complementary bosses extending radially between said second named inwardly facing shoulder and said outwardly facing shoulder, and radially disposed coil springs retained on said pairs of bosses.

2. A railroad car truck component for assembly with and support on wheel assemblies comprising a main frame member having means for pivotal connection with a railroad car body, a circular shoulder facing inwardly and a second circular shoulder facing inwardly within and below said first named shoulder, said shoulders being concentric with said connection means, a retainer plate of lesser diameter than said first named shoulder received within said first named inwardly facing shoulder and having a shoulder facing outwardly within and concentric with said second named inwardly facing shoulder, a ring fitting within said second named inwardly facing shoulder, longitudinally, laterally and diagonally arranged pairs of complementary bosses extending radially from and equally spaced on said ring and said outwardly facing shoulder, radially disposed coil springs retained on said pairs of bosses, and a cover plate of lesser diameter than said first named shoulder received therewithin over said retainer plate, said plates being formed to accommodate said pivotal connection means.

3. A railroad car truck comprising a main frame member having means for pivotal connection with a railroad car body, a recess presenting a circular shoulder facing inwardly and a second circular shoulder facing inwardly within and below said first named shoulder, said shoulders being concentric with said connection means, and forward and rearward extensions on each side, axle bearings in each of said extensions, shock absorbing means above said axle bearings, a retainer plate having peripheral clearance within said first named shoulder and formed to accommodate said connection means and presenting a shoulder facing outwardly within and concentric with said second named inwardly facing shoulder, twelve equally spaced pairs of complementary bosses extending radially between said second named inwardly facing shoulder and said outwardly facing shoulder, radial shock absorbers retained on said pairs of bosses, and railroad car wheel and axle assemblies having their axles carried in said axle bearings.

4. A railroad car truck comprising a main frame member having means for pivotal connection with a railroad car body, a recess in the upper surface of the frame member presenting a circular shoulder facing inwardly and a second circular shoulder facing inwardly within and below said first named shoulder, said shoulders being concentric with said connection means and forward and rearward extensions at each side, each of said extensions having a recess opening downwardly, a retainer plate of lesser diameter than said first named shoulder received within said first named shoulder, said retainer plate being formed to accommodate said connection means and having an annular groove within and concentric with said second named inwardly facing shoulder, the outer wall of said groove constituting a shoulder facing outwardly, a ring fitting within the inwardly facing shoulder, twelve equally spaced pairs of complementary bosses extending radially from said ring and said outwardly facing shoulder, radially disposed coil springs retained on said pairs of bosses, a cover plate of lesser diameter than said first named shoulder received therewithin over said retainer plate, an upper axle bearing member in each of said downwardly opening recesses, complementary bosses in said recesses and on said upper bearing members, spring groups receiving said bosses and retained thereby, a lower axle bearing member closing each said recess, axle bearings in said bearing members, and railroad car wheel and axle assemblies having their axles carried in said axle bearings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,007,473 10/1911 McCauley l05224 1,174,955 3/1916 Balzer 308-146 1,215,342 2/1917 Caswell l05218 X 1,769,359 7/1930 Phillips --189 X 2,103,713 12/ 1937 Dietrich l05224 X 2,874,646 2/ 1959 Holin l0522 X FOREIGN PATENTS 810,656 l/l937 France. 821,697 4/1937 France.

ARTHUR LA POINT, Primary Examiner,

H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A RAILROAD CAR TRUCK COMPONENT FOR ASSEMBLY WITH AND SUPPORT ON WHEEL ASSEMBLIES COMPRISING A MAIN FRAME MEMBER HAVING MEANS FOR PIVOTAL CONNECTION WITH A RAILROAD CAR BODY AND A RECESS PRESENTING A CIRCULAR SHOULDER FACING INWARDLY AND A SECOND CIRCULAR SHOULDER FACING INWARDLY WITHIN AND BELOW SAID FIRST NAMED SHOULDER, SAID SHOULDERS BEING CONCENTRIC WITH SAID CONNECTION MEANS, A RETAINER PLATE HAVING PERIPHERAL CLEARANCE WITHIN SAID FIRST NAMED SHOULDER AND PRESENTING A SHOULDER FACING OUTWARDLY WITHIN AND CONCENTRIC WITH SAID SECOND NAMED INWARDLY FACING SHOULDER, LONGITUDINALLY, LATERALLY AND DIAGONALLY ARRANGED PAIRS OF COMPLEMENTARY BOSSES EXTENDING RADIALLY BETWEEN SAID SECOND NAMED INWARDLY FACING SHOULDER AND SAID OUTWARDLY FACING SHOULDER, AND RADIALLY DISPOSED COIL SPRINGS RETAINED ON SAID PAIRS OF BOSSES. 